Agrivoltaic programs acquire public favor over typical photo voltaic parks
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Might 21, 2025
Photovoltaic programs have gotten extra widespread in open landscapes, however public approval typically lags. A latest examine by the College of Bonn reveals that agrivoltaics-solar panels put in on farmland-are considerably extra accepted by the general public than normal photo voltaic parks.
Agrivoltaic programs combine photo voltaic arrays with energetic agricultural use, resembling inserting panels above vineyards, pastures, or crop fields. Whereas these installations could scale back crop yields, they’ll additionally deliver added advantages. For instance, they might act as canopies to guard crops from excessive climate or function wind boundaries, much like hedgerows.
The examine concerned practically 2,000 respondents throughout Germany, chosen to replicate the nation’s demographic distribution. Members have been proven picture pairs evaluating agricultural land with and with out photo voltaic installations, together with situations with grazing cattle, wheat fields, and vineyards. Every situation was additionally matched in opposition to pictures of typical photo voltaic parks in related settings.
Researchers then gauged members’ perceptions of visible enchantment, leisure worth, and their willingness to pay a premium for electrical energy generated from these lands. Outcomes indicated that agrivoltaics persistently garnered extra favorable responses. About 44 % of members have been prepared to pay extra for agrivoltaic electrical energy, in comparison with 29 % for vitality from normal photo voltaic parks. Solely 2.9 % expressed willingness to pay to stop agrivoltaics, whereas 4.8 % would fund opposition to standard parks.
Though respondents typically discovered photo voltaic infrastructure detrimental to panorama aesthetics, agrivoltaics have been seen much less negatively-likely as a result of they merge vitality and meals manufacturing somewhat than displacing agriculture totally.
“Our survey is hypothetical-the members do not likely must spend any cash,” famous Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim of the College of Bonn, a co-author of the examine. “Nonetheless, the outcomes enable us to conclude that agrivoltaics meets with larger acceptance among the many public than regular open-space photo voltaic programs.”
Nonetheless, sensible boundaries stay. As ZEF researcher Hendrik Zeddies factors out, agrivoltaic programs are costlier and fewer productive than conventional setups. “With out subsidies, it would presumably not be attainable to put in many programs,” he added.
Analysis Report:Agrivoltaics increases public acceptance of solar energy production on agricultural land
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